Anna and Emily

Anna approached me night before last and said this to me, "Mom, remember how you asked what we wanted for Christmas? I want an anthology of poems."

After I came to and got off of the floor, I said, "You DO?". She told me that her poetry teacher (a local poet who had volunteered to teach the kids poetry for 6 weeks) had told them about anthologies and she was interested in reading one. She has talked about the poetry class many times in the past few weeks and I could tell it was something that really caught her attention from the get-go.

She has a specific interest in Emily Dickinson. After asking for the poetry book, she gave me a pretty comprehensive background of Emily Dickinson that she had learned in her class. Anna spoke about it with such enthusiasm and genuine interest, that I knew this was something that had somehow struck a chord in her. She read me poems that she had written in class, including one about my Dad's shirt (a shirt that she kept to remember the smell of my Dad). It touched me so much that I started to cry. I felt so much pride, listening to her talk the poetry and her interpretations of that the words meant. At times like this, I'm so overcome with love and pride, I feel like I may blow. All you parents out there know exactly what I mean.

I hope her interest in poetry and writing sticks with her. I'll do what I can to lend to this interest. In the mean time, I'll just sit here about to burst with pride and try not to smother her with hugs and kisses every minute.